This invention relates to a connector which is mateable with a mating connector comprising a mating contact, wherein the connector comprises a contact to be brought into contact with the mating contact at two points.
For example, this type of connector is disclosed in each of JP-U S63-61774 (Patent Document 1) and JP-A 2010-272320 (Patent Document 2), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIG. 24, a first connector (connector) 900 of Patent Document 1 is mateable along a mating direction with a second connector (mating connector) 920 comprising contacts (mating contacts) 930. Each of the mating contacts 930 has two contact portions, namely, a first mating contact portion 932 and a second mating contact portion 934. The connector 900 comprises contacts 910. Each of the contacts 910 has two contact portions, namely, a first contact portion 912 and a second contact portion 914. Under a mated state where the connector 900 and the mating connector 920 are mated with each other, the first contact portion 912 is brought into contact with the second mating contact portion 934 while the second contact portion 914 is brought into contact with the first mating contact portion 932.
As shown in FIG. 25, a second connector (connector) 960 according to a second embodiment of Patent Document 2 is mateable along a mating direction with a first connector (mating connector) 950 comprising first contacts (mating contacts) 952. The connector 960 is a floating connector. In detail, the connector 960 comprises a cylindrical portion 962, a mating portion 964 and second contacts (contacts) 966. The mating portion 964 is supported by the cylindrical portion 962 to be movable in a plane perpendicular to the mating direction. The contacts 966 are held by the mating portion 964. Each of the contacts 966 is to be brought into contact with the corresponding mating contact 952 at two points.
As can be seen from FIG. 24, the first contact point 912 of the connector 900 is supported to be substantially unmovable while the second mating contact portion 934 of the mating connector 920 is resiliently supported to be movable in an up-down direction perpendicular to the mating direction. When the connector 900 is moved relative to the mating connector 920 in the up-down direction, a contact force between the first contact point 912 and the second mating contact portion 934 or a contact force between the second contact point 914 and the second mating contact portion 932 might be weakened. Thus, according to the structure of Patent Document 1, contact reliability between the contacts might be degraded.
As can be seen from FIG. 25, the contacts 966 of Patent Document 2 are moved when the mating portion 964 is moved relative to the cylindrical portion 962. Accordingly, contact reliability between the contact 966 and the mating contact 952 might be degraded.